Transitional region having cuts and a skive for an imaging catheter

An imaging device, comprising:

• a flexible elongate member configured to be positioned within anatomy of a patient, the flexible elongate member comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion comprising a relatively higher stiffness and the distal portion comprising a relatively lower stiffness;
• a transition region disposed between the proximal portion and the distal portion, the transition region comprising a graduated stiffness transitioning from the stiffness of the proximal portion to the stiffness of the distal portion, the transition region comprising:
• a hypotube comprising:
• a lumen;
• and
• a skive at a distal portion of the hypotube, the skive comprising a tapered portion that is relatively more stiff at a proximal region and less stiff at a distal region;
• and
• an imaging element disposed at the distal portion of the flexible elongate member;
• a cable extending from the proximal portion of the flexible elongate member over the skive to the imaging element, wherein the cable is disposed within the lumen of the hypotube;
• and
• a polymer jacket extending over at least a portion of the hypotube and the skive, wherein the polymer jacket comprises an inner surface surrounding a lumen, and wherein the tapered portion of the skive and a portion of the cable are positioned within the lumen of the polymer jacket such that the tapered portion of the skive and the cable are fixed in place relative to one another by the inner surface of the polymer jacket and an inner surface of the tapered portion of the skive.